Soundtracks to life

We have all had those moments in life when the music in the background compliments, and even sometimes echoes what is happening. Unfortunately we forget so many of those times. For better or worse I have to occasions etched in my mind. Oddly enough they both involve cops and black musicians.

Episode One: February 1990, Sherman Oaks CA. The Band, Culture, the song, We Der Still. The tape was playing in my car when undercover cops came up as I was relaxing with some reggae and a joint. Well, whats a joint gonna hurt. They searched my car and decided to arrest me on a weapons charge, which technically was legit but was practically unfounded. Back to the soundtrack. So as I'm getting busted for pot the above mentioned song was playing. One of the lines rings out "Rastas chalice been taken away and his ganja has been burned but we der still". After that day, or few days, I had to thoughts. #1 Get a tattoo saying Question Authority around my anus. #2 Why would they want to look up my butt? How many people go thru day to day life with contraband shoved where angels fear to tread.

Episode Two: 1994, Medford OR. The Artist Mavrin Gaye. The song, Trouble man Ironically my landlord called the cops on my neighbor who was usually loud and a prick. Well this nite I decided to "enlighten" my neighbor. Hearing the clamor the landlord phoned the boys and they showed up only to find me "teaching" this guy about neighbor etiquette. I wasn't too concerned, but it did strike me as funny that Trouble Man by Marvin Gaye was playing while the cops were getting ready to haul me off. Its a good thing Pete the landlord stuck his head in to see "whats goin' on" and say that I was the good guy. If only I had gotten that in writing.

I guess this might be an appropriate segue to my police stories series.